Dover man charged with bank robberies in Natick, Dedham

A Dover man nabbed Tuesday for allegedly robbing a Dedham bank earlier this month is now charged with last month's bizarre robbery of a downtown Natick bank.

By Norman Miller/Daily News staff

MetroWest Daily News, Framingham, MA

By Norman Miller/Daily News staff

Posted Oct. 30, 2013 at 12:01 AM
Updated Oct 30, 2013 at 2:37 AM

By Norman Miller/Daily News staff

Posted Oct. 30, 2013 at 12:01 AM
Updated Oct 30, 2013 at 2:37 AM

» Social News

A Dover man nabbed Tuesday for allegedly robbing a Dedham bank earlier this month is now charged with last month's bizarre robbery of a downtown Natick bank.

Police in Dedham and Natick have charged Leonard E. Burd, 43, with bank robberies in those two towns after an investigation by the Natick and Dedham police departments, as well as the FBI. Dedham Police arrested him on Tuesday.

Natick Police charged Burd, of 4 Donnelly Drive, with armed robbery, larceny of more than $250, intimidation of a witness and making a false bomb threat.

Police say Burd, whose Linkedin social networking page lists him as a financial adviser and former bank branch manager, went to the Citizens Bank on Main Street in Natick on Sept. 21.

Burd claimed to work for the bank's security department and was there to conduct an audit. Authorities said Burd wore a wig and claimed he did so because he had cancer.

Authorities say Burd spent 45 minutes in the bank speaking to employees before he said he had a gun, although he never displayed one. After threatening to set off a device with gas, he took more than $4,000 in foreign currency and fled, authorities said.

Dedham Police say Burd robbed a Citizens Bank in their town Oct. 18. The man in that robbery wore a wig, they said. Dedham Police have charged Burd with armed and masked robbery and possession of a hoax device.

Burd pleaded not guilty at his Dedham District Court arraignment on Tuesday. He was ordered held on $20,000 bail. He is due back in court on Nov. 27 for a pretrial conference.

Burd's lawyer, Daniel Cappetta, said his client plans on fighting the allegations.

"My client has pled not guilty and looks forward to having his case heard in court," Cappetta said.

It is not known when Burd will be arraigned on the Natick charges.

Natick Police Lt. Brian Grassey gave credit to the work Natick Detective Chad Howard did on the case.

"A lot of people worked on this and Chad Howard's efforts were herculean," said Grassey. "Detective Howard cobbled together all of the information that was the product of this investigation."